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1995 Volkswagen Cabrio

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1995 Cabrio.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1995 Volkswagen Cabrio is a two‑door convertible that pairs a 4‑speed automatic transmission with an engine requiring 3.7 qt of oil. It calls for 5W‑50, 10W‑50 or 10W‑60 API oil and returns EPA‑rated fuel economy of 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined. Owner‑reported complaints for the model total 17, with the most frequent issues arising in the Engine & Engine Cooling area and no recalls issued for the year. Within the Cabrio’s 1991‑2002 complaint timeline, the 1995 year precedes the low‑complaint point of 1996 (7 complaints) and the high‑complaint peak of 2001 (38 complaints), situating it early in the model’s reliability improvement trend.

Model year19961995

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity3.7 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-50 / 10W-50 / 10W-60 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque81 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy19/26/22 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 42 · 460 CCA battery, OE oil filter 06A115561B. Note the factory front wiper blades is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 42 · 460 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLIGHTSOEM · verified
Tire sizeP195-60HR14OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter06A115561B
Engine air filter1H0129620
Fuel filter1H0201511A
Spark plug101000044AA
Front wiper blades3A1955427B discontinued · alt 1H0955427
Serpentine belt037903137G alt 037145271F
Thermostat044121113 alt 038121119B
Cabin air filter1J0819644A

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length160.6 in
Overall width66.9 in
Overall height55.1 in
Wheelbase97.6 in
Curb weight2943 lb
Track (front / rear)57.5 / 56.3 in

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 26 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 3.7 qt of 5W-50 / 10W-50 / 10W-60 API engine oil, SYNTHETIC · 75W-90 · GL-4 in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 81 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 22.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 4
Differential Gear OilSYNTHETIC · 75W-90 · GL-4
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.7 Pints
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-50 · 10W-50 · 10W-60 · API
Engine Oil Capacity3.7 qt
Power Steering FluidUSE VW. PART NO. G002000

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts18 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug22.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts81 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerVW
Spark Plug Gap0.031 in
Spark Plug Torque22.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.75-1.90 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeSP-10
Oil Capacity3.90-4.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number42
Standard BCI Cranking Performance460 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test19-23 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief19-23 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188 °F
Engine Oil Pressure29 psi @ Idle, 43.5-65.3 psi @ 2000
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket26 ft-lbs / 92 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle48 ft-lbs / 80 ft-lbs / 92 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.276; Rear: 0.276 specification
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.394 in / 0.472 in / 0.788 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.394 in / 0.472 in / 0.788 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.315 in / 0.394 in / 0.709 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0004 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.012 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages
130 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
244 ft. lbs.44 ft. lbs
390 degrees.90 degrees
490 degrees.90 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 mi.

At 7,500 miClutch Assembly (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 miBrake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Hood Latch (lubricate) · Neutral Safety Switch (test) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Battery (inspect electrolyte level) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Clutch Assembly (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Oxygen Sensor (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1995 Volkswagen Cabrio recorded 17 complaints, zero recalls, one investigation and a total of 22 TSBs, placing it above the 1993 level of 17 complaints but below the 1996 drop to 7 complaints. Compared with the immediate predecessor, the 1995 figure matches the 1993 complaint count and exceeds the 1992 count of 10, while its recall count remains equal to that of 1993 and 1996. The complaint trajectory shows a rise from 1991 through 1993, a dip in 1996, then a sustained increase from 1997 onward, indicating that 1995 sits at the high‑end of an early peak before the later surge. The primary complaint categories for 1995 are Engine & Engine Cooling (3), Visibility (2), Service Brakes, Hydraulic (2) and Structure (2), and the data does not specify a root cause for these issues. Because the 1995 model has no recalls, only a single investigation and a moderate complaint volume relative to later years, it represents a reasonable, though not optimal, choice for a used purchase.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
22
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
17
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’91’92’93’95’96’97’98’99’00’01’02

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 17 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling3
Visibility2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2
Structure2
Interior Lighting1
Electrical System1
Latches/Locks/Linkages1
Air Bags1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 22 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SM 33-20192019-03-27EquipmentThe part number listed in the document is to be returned if it meets the criteria…
SM 44-2017 EN2017-06-28EquipmentThis special notice is to inform dealers to return all part numbers listed in the…
VHW-17-112017-06-22EquipmentVAS 6154 Replacement Part Setup Guide
1-2017 Update2017-02-01EquipmentThis communication is to update our ProFi dealers of the current status of the latest…
V691601 20104792016-10-31EquipmentUpdate model year applicability to include 2017.

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Cabrio. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 42 batteryVehicles taking 3.7 qtEngine oil filter 06A115561BEngine air filter 1H0129620Fuel filter 1H0201511ASpark plug 101000044AA

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesTorque specificationsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1995 Cabrio take?

3.7 qt of 5W-50, 10W-50 OR 10W-60 API SL, per the factory manual.

Does the 1995 Cabrio have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Cabrio get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 26 highway / 22 combined mpg.